


Fire and Ice

by TheSadWolf



Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: Alcohol, Daddy Issues, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Secret Relationship, Smoking, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2020-12-04
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:40:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,768
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27872429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSadWolf/pseuds/TheSadWolf
Summary: Natsu's journey to find his dad with a little help from his makeshift family and secret relationship.
Relationships: Natsu Dragneel/Gray Fullbuster
Kudos: 24





	Fire and Ice

**Author's Note:**

> new tags added with every chapter

_ “Well, you wanted to join our guild, right?” Natsu turned back with a smile to see the newest recruit staring back with wide and teary eyes. “Come with me!” _

_ He smiled wider, hoping that the blond wizard would trust him after being deceived by that crazy purple-fire creep. She would fit right in, with those powerful key guys. _

_ Natsu’s hold on her wrist loosened but she didn’t stop. Making her silent decision to join. Yes, she would be a great addition to Fairytail, indeed. _

Taking a deep breath Natsu stopped in front of the main entrance to his guild, Fairytail. After all the trouble he had to find  _ that guy _ and teach him to quit spreading rumors. He glanced at Lucy and with a signature wide grin plastered on his face lifted his leg. With a swift kick, he opened the massive wooden doors and let it slam into the wall on the other side. The noise made the entire guildhall look towards them.

“We’re back!” He yelled, taking a step inside and immediately getting hit with the smell of smoke and alcohol. Nothing like a wild tavern full of powerful mages partying.

A variety of “Hey!” and “Welcome back!” erupted among them but Natsu ignored each greeting as he walked straight to a specific table. The guy sitting down at the table began to greet him and talk about the port. The dragon slayer interrupted him immediately.

He raised his leg once again and, just like with the door, kicked the guy across the face and sent him flying. Accusing the guy of lying and feeding false information about the missing dragon caused a fight to break out between the two of them. It didn’t take long before every member of the guild was standing up with fists raised and punching the people closest to them. Any excuse to strut their power and strength to one another.

Lucy, shaken and terrified and the sudden onslaught of fights stood off to the side with Happy and watched as tables, chairs and people were thrown about. Slamming the mage unnecessarily into a table and shattering it, Natsu continued to pick on the guy who lied about the sighting of Igneel until he saw a man stand up across the main hall. Green slit pupils narrowed even more as they caught each other's eyes. 

“Natsu’s back, eh?” Gray said, pulling his cigarette out from his lips and placing it into the nearest ashtray. Natsu looked his rival up and down before yelling at him to put on clothes while in the guild.

The fighting continued and since the guy in Natsu’s hands passed out, he threw him onto the ground and turned towards Gray. He smirked at the sight of his mostly naked rival, letting his eyes travel over those strong muscles.

Whispering so as no one but Natsu could hear Gray said, “See something you want, pretty boy?”

"Not quite," Natsu responded, smirking. Gray quickly threw a punch that had Natsu leaning back before dropping down to swing his leg out and knock Natsu onto his ass. But Natsu was quicker.

In one swift move, Natsu jumped over Gray’s leg, grabbing a corner of his only remaining clothing, and pulled the garment one way while throwing the ice boy the other way.

Gray landed and scrambled up to face Natsu. With a wink at the now completely naked man, Natsu swung the underwear around his finger while looking pleased. After crashing into Lucy and being hit back towards Natsu, the fire mage leaned down and half-whispered half-moaned, “There. Perfect.” before turning to swing a kick at the hulking giant who sought to either break up fights or start his own.

Gray pulled his underwear back on and slammed his hands together, ready to start the  _ real _ fight. No one was sure who started using magic first but once they had all began charging up their attacks,  _ he _ arrived. 

The giant of a guild master immediately shut down all the fights while also praising them for destroying things. Once the guild master was done talking, Gray put his ice away and made his way towards the door. The guild master was not too keen on his nicotine habits.

He passed by Natsu on his way and while the rest of the guild was busy rebuilding the furniture, he placed his hand on the overly warm shoulder. His touch light but the flaming wizard still seemed to jump.

“It wasn’t Igneel?” Gray asked. The other simply sighed and looked as if he was holding back tears. 

“No. He was just some stupid rogue wanna-be pretending to be one of us.” Natsu relit the braisers and lanterns by the door that he had eaten between fights earlier.

“Damn. If you need anything let me know. A smoke, a hug, a fight? Something better? I’m here. We’ll find him.” Gray dropped his hand and walked out the door, lighting up a fresh cigarette once he was out of view of the master.

The two of them joined at the same time. Gray had been through something similar and the two kids had bonded over their pain. They were going to be stronger. 

Natsu watched him leave before straightening his scarf and returning to the job board that was, miraculously, undamaged. Maybe he'd go seek out Gray and take him up on that offer.

Before he had any chance, Lucy walked over to show off her new guild mark. No, he needed to  _ fight _ something. Monsters, not his… well. Not something he cared about. 

He needed to go on a job and beat up some monsters or thugs or something. Hmm… wait. Was that Romeo he heard crying? Macao is missing?  He clenched the fist he had that was wrapped around his travel sack and with the other punched the job board. ‘ _ I’m not letting someone lose their dad as I did.’ _

…

_ ‘Dad!’ _

_ ‘Hey, son… I’m back.’ _

_ ‘Natsu! Happy! Thank you for bringing my dad back! Lucy! Thank you, guys!’ _

_ … _

__

It was a long night of partying and drinking to celebrate Macao’s safe return to the guild. Despite all the laughing, drinking and party games Natsu just couldn’t bring himself to really feel it. He had stayed for a while because Romeo had begged him but now the kid was sleeping on top of the bar while his father kept drinking. After quite a few tankards of some aged ale that Natsu had somehow acquired, he excused himself for the night. Standing for the first time in hours, he tried not to sway and wobble on his way out the door.

It was the early hours of the morning when he found himself walking through the empty streets. Walking along the most, he finally let his head tilt forward and shoulders sag ever so slightly. He lived on one of the hills outside of town meaning he had a long way to go… and a long time to think. He spent five years searching for his missing father. Yet no matter what ‘rumor’ or ‘story’ he heard… there was just nothing.

His father was all he had.  _ And now he’s gone _ .

Natsu stopped walking and took a deep breath as felt small pricks of tears in the corners of his eyes. Everyone in his guild had something that haunted them and they all had their breakdowns. It didn't make anyone less of a wizard. Natsu felt the familiar tightness in his chest, and an increase in his heart rate. 

So, why did he still feel so weak and pathetic anytime he felt like this?  _ Weak _ . Gasping for a breath, Natsu leaned back against the railing and tried to force his breathing back to normal. He struggled to breathe until he smelled the familiar scent of cigarettes.

“Hey, Pinky.” Natsu turned around to see the ice mage he’s known for years. His shoulders and neck automatically straighten themselves out. The ice mage rolled up a piece of parchment, probably a job request, before approaching him. He stuck the request into the pair of pants he was surprisingly still wearing. 

"Natsu?"

Natsu inhaled a shaky breath and turned to fully face the rival mage. Gray's face softened as he noticed the silent tear tracks and dilated eyes. 

“Come on. My place is closer.”

The ice mage started walking across the bridge and Natsu followed. He always felt safe, despite the rivalry they’ve kept up. Er… have.

"Dirty play you did yesterday at the guild, stealing my underwear." The ice mage guided Natsu down the street.

Huffing out a small laugh, Natsu remembered the full view he had during their fight. "Yeah. Wish I never gave them back."

Sure, he and Gray fought, all the time. But they didn’t hate each other. In fact, they rather liked to fight because it gave them a thrilling chance to be  _ close _ in public without the need to explain anything.

Gray shoved playfully at Natsu as they walked, Natsu shivering at every touch of cold. He didn't usually feel cold unless it was Gray, the ice was more of a comfort. The dragon slayer found himself reaching up and lightly grazing his fingers along the back of Gray’s shoulder and feeling more of that cold seep into his fingers. Gray jumped at the sudden warm touch and turned to look into the other’s eyes.

“Natsu, I know you had a lot to drink tonight but can you at least wait until we’re home?” Gray said with a knowing smirk. He reached around and grabbed the hand that Natsu still had on his shoulder and pulled him forward to place a small freezing kiss against Natsu’s lips. The difference in their body temperatures caused a tiny hiss of steam to happen.

“Why don’t quit teasing and actually get me home?” Natsu whispered against the lips of the other. Gray laughed, giggled but Natsu wasn't going to tell him that and laced their fingers before continuing on their way to his house. They didn't often display their affe-... Connection, like this but Natsu found himself not hating it.

Did Natsu need a distraction? Yes. Was he going to use Gray as his distraction? No. That's what jobs were for.

Made he’ll get a job and drag Lucy along as the real distraction. He’ll enjoy tonight and let himself feel something other than work, work, work.

  
_ ‘Tomorrow. I'll keep trying tomorrow.’ _ Natsu’s last thought of work, jobs, and life before he was pulled through a familiar door and then slammed against it. Followed by a pair of cold and hungry lips against his.


End file.
